litehaus Secures €1.46M Pre-Seed Funding - Home Building Platform

A Personal Frustration Sparks a Construction Tech Startup

Thibault Launay and his wife, Simi, initially aimed to construct a personal residence in Portugal approximately five years ago. However, their experience quickly revealed systemic challenges within the building industry.

Navigating Construction Complexities

“We faced fourteen months of project delays, a 20% increase in the initial budget, and the constant demands of coordinating more than ten separate subcontractors,” Thibault explained. The land was purchased in December 2020, with construction licensing secured in early 2022, and building commenced that same year. “The anticipated completion date was February 2024,” he stated. As of May 2025, the home remains unfinished.

This challenging experience led them to recognize a widespread issue. “We came to the conclusion that if we were encountering these difficulties, countless others were as well,” he continued.

Introducing Litehaus: A New Approach to Home Building

Driven by this realization, Thibault, a seasoned entrepreneur, and Simi, a consultant and founder herself, established Litehaus. The company’s mission is to streamline and enhance the efficiency and sustainability of home construction for landowners and property developers.

Litehaus addresses a critical need in both the U.S. and European markets: the creation of more affordable housing options. Launched early last year, the company positions itself as the “Uber of construction,” focusing on connecting disparate elements of the home-building process.

Connecting Professionals and Streamlining Processes

Litehaus functions as a platform, matching landowners and developers with a network of professionals including construction firms, architects, contractors, and interior designers. The system provides tools for cost tracking, schedule coordination, and real-time progress monitoring.

“Our go-to-market strategy centers on modular construction, enabling us to build 30% more affordably, 40% faster, and with 60% greater sustainability,” Thibault noted. This approach translates to 90% less waste and a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to conventional building methods.

Competition and Expansion

According to PitchBook, other companies operating in the modular construction sector include U.S.-based Ginosko Modular and Flummerfelt, and India-based Schnelle Prefabs.

Litehaus currently collaborates with at least one U.S. construction company as it pursues expansion within the country. The company’s immediate focus is on becoming “Europe’s fastest-growing construction tech startup,” according to Thibault.

European Innovation and Investment

The European construction industry stands to benefit significantly from increased innovation. While substantial investment flows into construction technology in the United States, the European tech sector has opportunities to accelerate its development.

Securing Pre-Seed Funding

Investors recognize this potential. Recently, Litehaus announced a €1.46 million pre-seed funding round, co-led by the U.K.’s Cornerstone VC and Explorer Fund, a prominent Portuguese private equity firm. Claster Group, a Luxembourgish family office, and angel investor Pascal Levy, a venture partner at Long Journey Ventures in the U.S., also participated in the investment.

Addressing the Housing Crisis

“The housing shortage across Europe has created a crisis, escalating the cost of living and making homeownership increasingly unattainable,” stated Rodney Appiah, a managing partner at Cornerstone VC. “Thibault and Simi’s vision – to simplify home building as much as buying a home – deeply resonated with me. It has the potential to bring greater transparency, sustainability, quality, and trust to the construction process.”

The Founders’ Backgrounds

Thibault described the fundraising process as “intense,” noting that he and Simi had established relationships with their lead investors through mutual connections over several years. Thibault, originally from France, founded an immersive gaming studio in Portugal and has also been an active investor as an angel and through his roles at 50 Partners and Origins, firms based in France and New York.

Simi, born in Nigeria and raised in London, previously managed a contemporary art gallery, a wellness brand for women of color, and provided consulting services to various organizations focusing on law and African affairs.

A Mission-Driven Approach

“I’ve always been driven to create businesses that positively impact people’s lives,” Simi shared with TechCrunch. “Providing affordable homes at scale is not only a viable market opportunity but also a profoundly meaningful way to create lasting change.”

Roles and Responsibilities

Simi currently leads marketing, communication, and design at Litehaus, while Thibault focuses on fundraising, business development, and technology.

Looking Ahead

“We were able to move quickly in securing funding thanks to partners who already understood our vision,” Thibault explained. The new capital will be allocated to scaling the company and expanding its team in engineering, product development, marketing, and operations.

Interestingly, Thibault and Simi completed their company’s development, secured over a million euros in funding, and welcomed two children before their own home, a project initiated over four years ago, was finally finished.

“We are scheduled to move in next month,” Thibault announced. “This represents a 14-month delay, and it underscores the very problem we are striving to resolve for millions of people.”

Note: This story has been updated to accurately reflect the co-leaders of the funding round.